Re: Volks Grow

The tray that the plants run through is the flood pan, the flood pan is filled from the resevoir by a pump on a timer to flood and drain on a schedule. In order to create a multi-channel flood pan, a person would have to create a supply and drain for each channel, and have seperate resevoirs for each, or manually fill each channel. It would be rather labor intensive, but unique by far.

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Re: Volks Grow

Very cool machine you got going. Its extremely interesting. You have experience with it? Is humidity a issue? Does it take a special medium or is it rockwool or clay pellets? You use alot of tape? Sorry for so many questions. Do nutrients dribble into the buds? Whats your time difference in the perpetual grow op?

Re: Volks Grow

Hi Mr. Smith, welcome to the grow, I'm more than happy to answer questions, but please read through the thread first, as many questions are answered there. Also be sure to check out WheeloFortune, and Maxximus' Volksgarden grows as well. Enjoy!

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Re: Volks Grow

Done reading it. Do you think humidity will be a issue with the machine? Perpetual is accidental but do you see benifits with it or would it be better to load with clones with same size root mass? Looks best to me to support 10 to 15 day clones. Root mass looks very limited, is there a catcher in the bottom for the cubes to grow out of? I realize that this is a test grow in new territory but I dont know anybody that grows this style so I am intersted beyond belief. I am the opposite of you growing since I switched from ebb to aero/ntf. I like the speed and growth from aero but like the space saving compactness of this machine and even considered picking up a omega.

Re: Volks Grow

Awesome, now that you're up to speed, I don't think humidity will be a problem in my situation for two reasons. First, I'm only feeding in the morning for an hour and a half (2 rotations), and I'm not using a resevoir. I mix a five gallon bucket of nutes in the morning, feed the VG, then drain, and adjust remaining nutes for my soil plants. Second, I'm running a 1k watt light, granted I have it cooled with a cross breeze which also blows across the upper plants, so I have heat and wind. While humidity in the room may remain about 50-60%, I'm not worried about mold in the machine.

I fully understand the benefits of perpetual harvest, that's how I do it, always. If I'm out of bud, it's because of poor planning. However, I don't believe that having multiple stage plants sharing nutrients will allow for any of the plants to achieve full potential. Multiple systems will allow for optimum results. I'm just playing around, anxious to see what happens when I do whatever it is I do. Next round is going to be the real deal, properly prepared clones and/or seedlings, monoculture. By the time my VG is going to be ready to accept the new generation, I expect I will be much more knowledgeable on the overall process and effect of rotary growing. It also sounds to be an excellent machine for breeding. So many things to try, and I only have one VG, for now...

Re: Volks Grow

As far as the roots go, no, there is no catcher under the cube, what you see in the pics, is what's there. I belive that a large root mass is not as impotant if you are using nutrients that are immediately available. The roots don't have to find anything, it's right there. I use beneficial bacteria, fungus, and enzymes in my regiment, all geared towards healthy roots. Yes, aero is pretty sweet, but I don't think it will even compare to the VG. Although I do see a happy partnership there, veg mommas in the aero, and stick your clones in the VG. I've got two aero machines, one I loaned out to a friend, and the other is about to be put to work very soon.

Re: Volks Grow

I snapped a few pics before the lights came on so that the color can be seen better. This is day 22, I removed the seedlings to be fed on their own in a grow solution at 900 ppm, 5.8 pH @ 18c. This way I can use a proper bloom solution, and will return the seedlings after the bloomers are fed.

Re: Volks Grow

Thanks Pan4,
I've actually been using two different base nutes, Flora Nova Bloom, and AN SensiBloom. I was almost out of my Sensi, and the FloraNova came recommended, so I tried it. I'm almost out of it too, but it's a one part, highly concentrated solution, I like it so far. My end goal is to stop buying nutrients and just use compost tea, if I can. I need to do more reading on brewing and blending first, but it wont be long. Yes, I like to change my ppm on a growth curve, starting at about 800ppm to begin, working my way up to 1800 about 1/2 way through, and gradually back down to 800ppm, with the last week only pure water and Final Phase (flush). I don't know how closely I will be able to follow my general curve with having plants in such different stages of developement, but I'm going to try. If a few stragglers burn, no biggie, I'm working on the general welfare and overall outcome. By the time this first run is done I will have the needed clones to fill the machine to capacity and do a yield run. At which point I will follow a specific regiment closely and be able to use all my additives. I'm stoked, loving this machine... today is day 29 (I think), so I'll snap some shots and post here shortly.

Re: Volks Grow

I love those labels on your plants lol. Look better than the ones on the (vegetable) plants I picked up from the nursery to throw in my garden.

I'll not likely see that in my area unless Hell freezes over and tiny little angels are seen ice-skating on top. [TorturedSoul MOURNS]

Respectfully,Tortured Soul

HELP by visiting our sponsorsPARTICIPATE by reading, learning, & teaching in our forumsDECIDE by voting in our contests

Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. -Mark Twain

Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised. -Niccolo Machiavelli

Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. -Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac

If you ever loved anything in your life, try to remember it. If you ever betrayed anything, pretend for a moment that you have been forgiven. If you ever feared anything, pretend for an instant that those days are gone and will never return. Buy the lie and hold to it for as long as you can. Press your familiar, whatever its name, to your breast and stroke it till it purrs. -Roger Zelazny, Creatures of Light and Darkness

Re: Volks Grow

Yeah... Half this area seems to have decided to continue Prohibition. And as for the few who understand that MMJ is a natural, helpful, herb... Half this area ALSO seems to think that health food stores, holistic healing centers, herb shops, and the like should be "prohibited" as well because "It aint natural."

Ironic.

We now return you to your regularly-scheduled Volks Grow lol. My apologies for the off-topic rambling.

Last edited by TorturedSoul; 06-24-2009 at 09:25 PM.
Reason: Added final sentence.

Respectfully,Tortured Soul

HELP by visiting our sponsorsPARTICIPATE by reading, learning, & teaching in our forumsDECIDE by voting in our contests

Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. -Mark Twain

Among other evils which being unarmed brings you, it causes you to be despised. -Niccolo Machiavelli

Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. -Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac

If you ever loved anything in your life, try to remember it. If you ever betrayed anything, pretend for a moment that you have been forgiven. If you ever feared anything, pretend for an instant that those days are gone and will never return. Buy the lie and hold to it for as long as you can. Press your familiar, whatever its name, to your breast and stroke it till it purrs. -Roger Zelazny, Creatures of Light and Darkness